The Failure of Education in the Second Century

The primary focus of the rhetoricitian was to prepare his students for life in the highly litigious public sphere. As with the gramarian, the focus was on eloquence, presentation and theatricality before content was even considered. Science, advanced math, music, geography, economics, literature beyond a few approved classics and art were all completely ignored. This totally stagnant, unappealing and downright informationalist educational system would haunt the Romans as they tried to hold on to their empire.